Take over?
Take over what?
What needed to be taken over?
Shangguan Yunying's mind went completely blank. She stared blankly at Lin Qingyan standing before her.
Of course she understood what the word "take over" meant.
One person takes over from another to do something, to bear some responsibility, to occupy some position.
But the question was—take over what?
What was there between her and Lin Qingyan that could possibly be taken over?
One was the Jingzhe of the Heavenly Master Mansion, the other a former chief female official. Different identities, different duties, different positions at Gu Chengyin's side.
What Lin Qingyan could do, Shangguan Yunying might not necessarily be able to do.
What Lin Qingyan dared to do, Shangguan Yunying might not even dare to imagine.
Wait.
Shangguan Yunying's thoughts came to an abrupt halt.
There actually was one thing that Lin Qingyan could do, and she could do as well.
Could it be that what Lin Qingyan meant by taking over was that kind of taking over?
"L-Lord Jingzhe... this... this isn't right, won't Gu Chengyin be angry?"
Even for someone like Shangguan Yunying, she couldn't help but stammer when faced with this question.
Her tongue felt like it was tied in knots, every word having to roll around in her mouth several times before she could barely force it out.
A flush crept up her cheeks, spreading from her cheekbones all the way to the tips of her ears.
Tinting her normally gentle and elegant features with bashfulness.
But Lin Qingyan casually pulled her chair over, unconcerned.
The chair was made of rosewood, its four legs scraping against the bluestone floor with a low grating sound.
Lin Qingyan's movement in moving the chair was relaxed and natural, sitting down directly beside Shangguan Yunying.
Her seat pressed right up against Shangguan Yunying's, so close that their shoulders were almost touching.
Then Lin Qingyan turned her body sideways and reached an arm around Shangguan Yunying from behind her waist.
Her palm settled on Shangguan Yunying's side, fingers curling slightly with just the right amount of pressure—firm enough to hold her in place without being rough.
Shangguan Yunying's waist was slender and soft, and through the fabric of her clothes, one could feel the muscles tensed from nervousness.
At the same time, Lin Qingyan's other hand rose.
Her fingertips swept across the front of Shangguan Yunying's body, tracing a slow path along that stunning curve.
Brushing against the fabric, producing a rustling sound that was clearly audible in the quiet room.
Lin Qingyan's movements were slow—so slow it was like she was painstakingly tracing an exquisite painting.
From the start of the curve to its highest point, then slowly sliding down from the peak.
Then Lin Qingyan spoke with deliberate meaning:
"Is that so? But I have a feeling Chengcheng wouldn't be angry."
"After all, Yunying has plenty of capital. Any man should be pleased, right?"
Shangguan Yunying's face involuntarily reddened, even more than before.
She could feel the warmth of Lin Qingyan's fingertips, the pressure of that hand on her waist, the distance between them so close they might as well have been fused into one.
Her breathing grew shallow and rapid, her chest rising and falling with each breath, causing that curve to tremble lightly beneath Lin Qingyan's fingers.
A playful glint flashed in Lin Qingyan's eyes.
She watched Shangguan Yunying's increasingly flushed face, her evasive gaze, her fingers clutching at the hem of her clothes.
And that demeanor of trying so hard to maintain composure yet completely failing to do so—a strange, unprecedented feeling stirred in Lin Qingyan's heart.
This former chief female official, always so composed and graceful in her daily life, handling official affairs with perfect order.
She would blush in front of Gu Chengyin too, but not with such flustered helplessness as this.
Lin Qingyan suddenly discovered that teasing the usually gentle Shangguan Yunying to the point of losing her composure was rather entertaining.
"B-But... doesn't Lord Jingzhe love him very much? Why would you suddenly..."
Shangguan Yunying steadied her thoughts and voiced the question in her heart.
She tried to make her voice sound calm, but the slight tremor at the end of her words betrayed her inner turmoil.
Her gaze collided with Lin Qingyan's, then quickly darted away, as if burned.
This was the part Shangguan Yunying couldn't understand most of all.
Lin Qingyan's possessiveness over Gu Chengyin was so intense.
She had seen with her own eyes how Lin Qingyan would hook her arm around Gu Chengyin's, how she would kiss him in front of everyone, how she would stake her claim.
That possessiveness was almost tangible, making every person present keenly aware of it.
As if she wanted to proclaim to the whole world that Gu Chengyin belonged to Lin Qingyan and no one else could even think of touching him.
And yet—this very same person was now sitting beside her, an arm around her waist, asking if she wanted Gu Chengyin.
How could she suddenly be willing to give him up?
This wasn't normal.
It didn't make sense.
There had to be a reason.
Of course, Lin Qingyan wasn't about to reveal the real reason.
She wouldn't tell Shangguan Yunying that the reason she needed someone to take over was because Gu Chengyin was simply too formidable.
That every single time left her utterly exhausted, that even when she begged for mercy he wouldn't stop, that every time Lin Qingyan felt like she'd been taken apart and put back together again.
She, the esteemed Fairy Jingzhe, an existence invincible at the Golden Core stage, kept losing again and again in this particular arena—how humiliating was that?
And Lin Qingyan wouldn't tell Shangguan Yunying that the reason she chose her, and no one else, was because she had discovered that the one Gu Chengyin truly favored most was actually Shangguan Yunying.
That man never said it out loud, always maintaining the facade of a proper gentleman.
But when his gaze occasionally lingered on Shangguan Yunying, that subtle shift—it might deceive others, but not Lin Qingyan.
Because her intuition was too sharp, too precise for anything to remain hidden.
Since Gu Chengyin liked her, Lin Qingyan might as well give Shangguan Yunying a push.
And incidentally, give herself a helping hand as well.
After all, she was the primary wife. Her strength and position were solid; no one could compete with her.
Lin Qingyan applied a little more pressure.
The hand around Shangguan Yunying's waist tightened slightly, drawing her closer into her embrace.
Shangguan Yunying's body lost its balance, involuntarily leaning toward Lin Qingyan.
Her shoulder rested against Lin Qingyan's, half her body pressed against the other woman.
The back of her head almost touched Lin Qingyan's chin, and she could feel the warm breath of air brushing through her hair with each inhale and exhale.
Meanwhile, Lin Qingyan's other hand moved upward.
Her fingertips left the front of Shangguan Yunying's body, tracing along her collarbone and rising slowly, passing over her slender neck, finally resting at her throat.
With a trace of coldness, like the first north wind of early winter.
Gently, she drew a line across Shangguan Yunying's throat.
From one side of the neck to the middle, from the middle to the other side of the neck, tracing an invisible arc.
Then Lin Qingyan spoke, her tone cool and detached:
"Didn't I tell you? As long as you call me 'older sister,' we're family."
"After all, Chengcheng said you'd be staying with me for a while. Since I agreed, I have to keep my word."
nce】【Lighthearted Comedy】【Ultimate Gentleman's Novel】【Viewer Discretion Advised for Under 16】 The mightiest human hero, Sharen Morian, is resurrected after a thousand years by his wife—the Demon King. This is not your typical hero-vs-demon-king tale.
nd fell into a coma while saving his younger sister from an out-of-control car. He became a vegetable. No one knew that his consciousness had crossed into a world of cultivation. Over the course of sixty years, he began as the lowest kind of mine slave, struggling to survive amid mountains of corpses and seas of blood. By sheer chance, he eventually obtained the complete memories of a fallen Immortal King. Alchemy, medicine, formations, feng shui, physiognomy, artifact forging… Every great inheritance of the cultivation world was now his. But when he opened his eyes again, he discovered that ten full years had passed in the modern world. To pay for his treatment, his father had sold the family’s shop and house, leaving himself covered in lasting injuries and illness. His mother had cared for him day and night, and more than half of her hair had already turned white. His younger sister, who had been only fifteen back then, was now twenty-five. To help repay the family’s debts, she had been forced to lower her head and put on a smiling face in places of glittering lights and endless revelry. Only then did Chen Xuan understand that what he had lost was not merely ten years. He had lost the life his entire family was meant to have. The good news was that he had brought back the memories of an Immortal King’s entire lifetime. The bad news was that his soul had returned alone—his cultivation had not come with him. Spiritual energy was scarce, resources were depleted, and the modern world still had firearms, surveillance, capital, and laws. If he wanted to protect his family, break free from everyone’s control, and become truly invincible beneath the heavens, he would have to start all over again.
] [Lone Wolf, No Male Gaze] [Protagonist is pursued early on; extreme protagonist-stans, stay away!] The "Carnival Paradise" descends and slowly devours the real world in the form of a game. By chance, Zhu Yan awakens the talent [Roleplay], becoming one of the first beta players. He thought he could develop safely, but after clearing the first instance, he is branded by humanity as the chief culprit behind the game's spread—a traitorous villain. A villain? Who would ever... become one! He'll be the villain! From then on, Zhu Yan is not only a player but also a lackey for the Carnival Paradise. Between the straight path and the crooked path, he chooses the con. With his left hand, he dons the villain's mantle, staging scenes within instances, infuriating players who decry him as a despicable traitor, all while the game happily promotes him. With his right hand, he joins the non-human organization "Fangcun Mountain," which opposes the Carnival Paradise, transforming into a mysterious player who slaughters game bosses, earning cheers of "Long live the expert!" from fellow players. Gradually, Zhu Yan rises to become an S-rank human player in Fangcun Mountain's archives, while also being the Carnival Paradise's certified top game Boss. But when the final war erupts and both major factions place their hopes in him— Players tag his various aliases: "Experts, this offensive depends on you." The Carnival Paradise's supreme Boss throws an arm around his neck: "Bro, you're the iron, I'm the steel; you can't let me down again!"
s + Rent Collection Wealth】 At the start, he inherited a rundown house in the urban village from his grandfather. The house had no tenants, but the moment he was diagnosed with a terminal illness, a self-proclaimed empress from the Tianxuan Continent arrived as his first tenant. Ye Chuan soon discovered that with every new tenant moving in, not only did he receive massive daily payments, but he also obtained unique items related to their backgrounds. 【Acquired Bai Qianshuang’s related item: Tiger Strength Pill—dramatically enhances physical power!】 【Acquired Bai Qianshuang’s related item: Deer Blood Pill—significantly boosts vitality!】 …… From that day on, all sorts of bizarre tenants began appearing in the house: the empress from Tianxuan Continent, an apocalyptic sorceress from the Magic Realm, a mysterious scientific girl who fell through a spacetime rift… Every single day, he received strange, powerful items and endless money. Then one day, he suddenly realized—he had become invincible. Enough, enough! Stop giving me more!
